Old Machar Towers, No.2

Art Historical Context

James McBey’sOld Machar Towers, No.2” from 1911 offers a quiet view of the historic towers of Old Machar Cathedral in Aberdeen, Scotland. Created as an etching and drypoint, the print demonstrates McBey’s command of intaglio techniques, in which sharp lines are incised into a metal plate and the drypoint burr adds soft, velvety tones. This combination allows for both precise architectural detail and atmospheric depth within a modest sheet size of 19.8 × 26.7 cm. Etching and drypoint were popular among early-twentieth-century printmakers for their ability to produce rich textures and subtle gradations, qualities that suit the weathered stone and sky of this Scottish landmark. McBey’s work reflects the period’s renewed interest in printmaking as a fine-art medium capable of capturing both place and mood. Now part of the Rosenwald Collection at the National Gallery of Art, the print invites visitors to appreciate the quiet beauty of historic architecture through the intimate lens of hand-pulled printmaking.

About the Artist

James McBey · 1883–1959

James McBey (1883–1959) was a Scottish artist renowned for his etchings and paintings, emerging from humble beginnings in Newburgh, Aberdeenshire, as the illegitimate son of a blacksmith's daughter. Largely self-taught, he left school at fifteen to work as a bank clerk in Aberdeen, where he devoured art books from the public library and attended evening classes at Gray's School of Art to hone his ...